ᐅ Which types of flooring are recommended for single-family homes? What does the building expert community suggest?
Created on: 14 Sep 2020 07:43
E
exto1791
Hello everyone,
We are slowly starting to consider the flooring for our planned single-family house and are still completely undecided.
We have an open-plan living-dining area with a kitchen. We believe that a seamless floor transition looks nicer than separating the kitchen from the living/dining area. For this reason, we want to have a uniform floor covering throughout.
Now the question: vinyl or tiles? We have already read about the pros and cons, but maybe we can get some first-hand tips or tricks here that might put some of the disadvantages into a more positive perspective?
1. Question: Is vinyl really safe to use in the kitchen? Is vinyl fully waterproof? How does vinyl flooring react if, for example, a knife slips from my hand and falls on the floor? Will I get immediate dents or marks? Are there vinyl floors that are significantly more resistant?
2. Question: How does vinyl respond to sunlight? Since we will have several large glass fronts in our living-dining area, vinyl "technically" seems to be excluded... Does vinyl actually deform? Is it true that vinyl, like parquet, fades significantly in sunlight?
3. Question: Is vinyl really only suitable for 10-20 years? What happens afterward? Do I have to replace the vinyl, or can it be refurbished or maintained?
--> We are considering tiling the entire area because then we would be "done," have a robust floor that works perfectly with underfloor heating, is simple, and very resistant to sun/fading/stains/impacts. We think generally that you can’t go wrong with tiles.
However, I see the problem that the tiles will likely stay in place for a lifetime, and I may not want or be able to replace them later due to the high effort involved. Also, any chip or damage to a tile will be visible for life since I can’t quickly repair it (true, vinyl also can’t be easily repaired, but I could replace the floor after 15-20 years). Another downside is cost. Tiles are generally more expensive, and I wouldn’t be able to install them myself (I don’t feel confident with tiles but feel okay with vinyl), so we are wondering what is best for us.
What flooring have you installed in your living/dining areas? What good or bad experiences have you had?
Now about the upper rooms:
1 bedroom and 2 kids’ rooms: vinyl/parquet/cork/laminate?
We are familiar with the pros and cons here as well. Parquet is "technically" out of the question because it is very expensive (is there good parquet for around 30€ (about $33)?). Opinions on vinyl are divided... We also have clear concerns (especially in the kids’ rooms) regarding plastic flooring... Are they really completely safe and non-toxic nowadays? If I pay attention to this, can I safely choose vinyl for the kids’ rooms? The kids’ rooms should be "good and affordable" above all. Cork might be an option? Laminate is somehow excluded because it is very noisy and offers no advantages over cork or vinyl.
Is parquet sensible for the bedroom? Here there is no fading, parquet is durable, and sunlight is limited. Very durable and might make the bedroom more visually appealing. What do you think?
We are open to any suggestions.
Where did you buy your flooring? From a hardware store? A specialist dealer? Are there recommendations, including manufacturers or models?
We are slowly starting to consider the flooring for our planned single-family house and are still completely undecided.
We have an open-plan living-dining area with a kitchen. We believe that a seamless floor transition looks nicer than separating the kitchen from the living/dining area. For this reason, we want to have a uniform floor covering throughout.
Now the question: vinyl or tiles? We have already read about the pros and cons, but maybe we can get some first-hand tips or tricks here that might put some of the disadvantages into a more positive perspective?
1. Question: Is vinyl really safe to use in the kitchen? Is vinyl fully waterproof? How does vinyl flooring react if, for example, a knife slips from my hand and falls on the floor? Will I get immediate dents or marks? Are there vinyl floors that are significantly more resistant?
2. Question: How does vinyl respond to sunlight? Since we will have several large glass fronts in our living-dining area, vinyl "technically" seems to be excluded... Does vinyl actually deform? Is it true that vinyl, like parquet, fades significantly in sunlight?
3. Question: Is vinyl really only suitable for 10-20 years? What happens afterward? Do I have to replace the vinyl, or can it be refurbished or maintained?
--> We are considering tiling the entire area because then we would be "done," have a robust floor that works perfectly with underfloor heating, is simple, and very resistant to sun/fading/stains/impacts. We think generally that you can’t go wrong with tiles.
However, I see the problem that the tiles will likely stay in place for a lifetime, and I may not want or be able to replace them later due to the high effort involved. Also, any chip or damage to a tile will be visible for life since I can’t quickly repair it (true, vinyl also can’t be easily repaired, but I could replace the floor after 15-20 years). Another downside is cost. Tiles are generally more expensive, and I wouldn’t be able to install them myself (I don’t feel confident with tiles but feel okay with vinyl), so we are wondering what is best for us.
What flooring have you installed in your living/dining areas? What good or bad experiences have you had?
Now about the upper rooms:
1 bedroom and 2 kids’ rooms: vinyl/parquet/cork/laminate?
We are familiar with the pros and cons here as well. Parquet is "technically" out of the question because it is very expensive (is there good parquet for around 30€ (about $33)?). Opinions on vinyl are divided... We also have clear concerns (especially in the kids’ rooms) regarding plastic flooring... Are they really completely safe and non-toxic nowadays? If I pay attention to this, can I safely choose vinyl for the kids’ rooms? The kids’ rooms should be "good and affordable" above all. Cork might be an option? Laminate is somehow excluded because it is very noisy and offers no advantages over cork or vinyl.
Is parquet sensible for the bedroom? Here there is no fading, parquet is durable, and sunlight is limited. Very durable and might make the bedroom more visually appealing. What do you think?
We are open to any suggestions.
Where did you buy your flooring? From a hardware store? A specialist dealer? Are there recommendations, including manufacturers or models?
H
hampshire22 Jan 2021 08:50hausnrplus25 schrieb:
I am only sure that such areas become more vulnerable with, for example, moisture, so that swelling occurs. There is no need to worry about that. A wooden floor needs occasional maintenance, but it does not swell. Not even in the kitchen area. I understand the choice of vinyl in connection with concerns and the feel underfoot.
Schimi1791 schrieb:
I don’t understand discussions about the supposedly harmful properties, etc. Every store that sells these floors has the same smell right away. That subjective experience alone is enough for me to decide against it. I don’t even need to consider measurement values after that. Others avoid wood because they don’t trust this material (swelling, for example). I find both concerns very understandable. We are human and like to think we act rationally.
Schimi179122 Jan 2021 09:02hampshire schrieb:
...
Every store that sells these floors smells the same.
...It also smells at the cheese counter ... 😀My wife is really very (!) sensitive when it comes to odors. However, she did not notice any unpleasant smell from our vinyl flooring in the bedrooms.
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pagoni202022 Jan 2021 10:48hampshire schrieb:
There is no need to worry. A wood floor just requires occasional maintenance; it won’t swell or warp, not even in the kitchen area. I understand the choice of vinyl in connection with concerns about moisture and the feel underfoot. Wood flooring is just as feasible in bathrooms. People often overthink the situation, imagining flooded bathrooms with constantly wet floors, including in the kitchen. We had a solid wood floor for 30 years, and I can’t recall any problems during that time. After 30 years, I’ve seen other floors that were visually completely out of style and not very attractive; most of those floors had already been replaced twice.
Wood is a pure natural building material. Scratches or dents in wood are no problem at all if you accept the material for what it is—natural. Personally, I choose natural materials and appreciate their individual characteristics. If I don’t like something about a natural material in certain areas, then I simply avoid using natural materials altogether and buy nothing that only looks natural.
Something that looks natural but rejects the true properties of nature would be a poor compromise for me. Nowadays, there are more and more surface “finishes” designed to make wood look intentionally aged or heavily used, often called vintage or similar, usually at a high price. It is supposed to look old or worn but isn’t actually that way... hmm... maybe that’s why I find terms like vintage less appealing.
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Bertram10022 Jan 2021 11:46Except for the entrance area, I have parquet flooring everywhere, including in the kitchen and bathroom. It works really well and feels comfortable underfoot. Since it is a multilayer parquet, it is also suitable for underfloor heating. If the budget allows, I wouldn’t choose anything else.
And it ages along with you. A wooden floor becomes more beautiful over the years.
And it ages along with you. A wooden floor becomes more beautiful over the years.
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hampshire24 Jan 2021 16:47Schimi1791 schrieb:
It smells bad at the cheese counter too ... 😀I wouldn’t choose that as a flooring material either... 😀Similar topics